THE ADMINISTRATORS

Those people who over the years have ensured the continuance of Oakworth Cricket Club, the patrons, officials, committee men, supporters and of course the Captains, deserve our thanks as do all the early Wesleyans who got the club off the ground between 1893 and 1900 although some of their names have been lost with the passage of time. All that is known is that the President of the amalgamated club in that first season in 1901 was J S Cockshott and he was one of the village’s leading Wesleyans following in the traditions set by the late Sir Isaac Holden. The club’s Treasurer was G Hale and the Secretary was Fred Moore, both also staunch Methodists. So it seems likely that they may also have been officials of the Oakworth Wesleyans Club, our predecessors.

In all the club has been presided over by 13 Presidents since 1901, Eighteen hard working individuals have fulfilled the arduous secretarial duties and thankfully, 16 very careful purse holders have overseen money matters since 1901::, they were:

President Years Secretary Years Treasurer Years
  J S Cockshott 1901-02 & 1904-06  G Hale  1901-02  F Moore 1901-03
 J Lancaster  1903  J Nicholls 1903-07 & 1910-12  H Scargill 1904-05
 A L Haggas  1907-15  P Bancroft 1908  J Blenkiron  1906-07
 E Harrison 1919-20 & 1922-29  E Sugden 1909  J Woodward 1908-19
 H Waterhouse 1921  W A Heaton 1913-15  F Smith 1920-21
 E J Rouse 1930-51  W Anderton 1919  H Whitehead 1922-23
 N Johns 1952 & 1982-84  A Hartley 1920  A Scull  1924
 J P Smith 1953-71  A H Roberts 1921  W Hodgson 1925-51
 J Scarborough  1972-76  A Scull  1922-23 & 1925-28  L Judson 1952-53
 E Greenwood 1977-81  H Whitehead 1924  C Pegg 1954-56 & 1965-80
 G H Kirby 1985-92  J Preston 1929-38 & 1946-51  W Hough 1957
 J Sayer  1993-2003  I Scarborough  1939  R Mitchell 1958-62
 W J Scarborough 2004-  G Lund 1940  D Lockley 1963-64
     C Bailey 1952   P L Salter  1981-85
     F Woodward 1953-77  J Moor 1986-89
     B C Sayer 1978-2001  T S Shields 1990-
     C J Fradley 2002-04    
     M J Davison 2005-    

The list of club officials is completed by the Chairman of the General Committee (an office created in 1913) and the following list of 16 includes some famous playing names that have given creditable service in that capacity:

Chairman Years
 W Anderton 1913 & 1927
 W Adams 1914
 W Pickles 1915
 S Nicholls 1919
 F Simpson 1920
 T Melrose 1921
 W Hodgson 1922-1936
 A Brooksbank 1937-1951
 G Lee  1952
 J Preston 1953-1964
 E Greenwood 1965-1973
 J Sayer 1974-1976
 A Spink 1977-1980
 S Milner  1981-1983
 W J Scarborough 1984-2003
 R Senior 2004-2007
  2008-

Over a Century there are many, many people who have unselfishly put club before themselves and the Oakworth club membership has recognized 21 of them by awarding them the highest of all accolades, that of Life Membership. Life Membership is not given lightly and all awards are approved by the full membership. Typically they are given for not just meritorious service but normally for service over long tracts of time. The club is proud to record their names:

Life Member Awarded
 William Adams 1951
 James Woodward  
 George Lee 1954
 John Preston  
 Arthur Brooksbank  
 Willie Hodgson  
 Billy Field 1971
 Tom Hewitt  
 Prince Stobbs  
 Norman Feather 1976
 Arthur Lockwood  
 Jack Scarborough 1977
 Frank Woodward 1981
 Cyril Pegg  
 Noel Johns 1984
 David Greenwood 1995
 Wilf Scarborough 1997
 Barry Sayer  

In addition Messrs D Berry, E Dickinson and Edwin Greenwood were all awarded the honour but the precise dates currently avoid detection.

In 1996 Mr. Norman Wooler donated a new trophy and bursary in memory of his great, great, great uncle William Adams, the famed Oakworth Captain. The Trophy is now awarded annually, by the Committee Chairman, for meritorious contribution to the Club. The winners have been: 

Year Recipient Citation
1996 Michael Scarborough 1,000 runs in season
  Jason Lockley 264 score
1997 Terry Thompson Development of Junior cricket
1998 David Brunskill Services to Second XI
1999  Michael Beckett Wicket maintenance
2000 John Sayer President
2001 Michael Davison Services to the club
2002 Jeff Hobson Services to Junior coaching
2003 Ced Fradley Present secretary
  Barry Sayer Past secretary
2004 Simon Howell Kitchen refurbishment
2005 Jeff Inman Clubhouse construction
2006 Jon Hollingsworth Inaugural Third XI Captain
2007 Steve Powell First Cowling Cup winning Captain

On the passing of Frank Woodward in 2000, his family donated a trophy to be awarded for the best under-21 performance of the season. The winners have been:

Year Recipient Citation
2001 Adam Fradley 80no Keighley Cup Final
2002  Chris Mooney 8 wkts vs Foulridge
2003 Chris White 52 wickets Second XI
2004 Chris White 6 wkts Wynn Cup Final
2005 Chris White 6 sixes off J Metcalfe
2006 Joel Gallagher 75 vs Glusburn
2007 Brannan Lawn 103 vs Sutton
  Greig Hudson 8-15 vs Denholme

Finally, the real heroes, the grounds men, those incredibly hard working devoted people who enable the game to be played by cutting grass, repairing footholds, rolling, seeding, cutting the outfield or the thousand and one other tasks that need to be done. Their names are not all recorded but certainly five of them have achieved fame in their chosen “profession”.

Groundsman Years
Sam Hanson 1901-1912
Willie Anderton 1913-1923
Richard Harris 1968-1977
David Greenwood 1978-1984
Neil Creighton  1988-1992
Michael Beckett 1993-2000
Wilf Scarborough 2001-

A toast to all of them and the hundreds of others who have maintained the club throughout the years. “One Hundred and thirteen not out”, Take a bow Oakworth Cricket Club.